Apparatus for delivery of an aerosolized medication to an infant

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an apparatus for delivering an aerosolized medication to an infant. The apparatus includes a plaything having a fanciful image. A bore passageway extends through the plaything. The fanciful image has features attractive to an infant where one of the features includes an opening to a first end of the bore passageway. A second end of the bore passageway is adapted to be attached to a nebulizing assembly. The nebulizing assembly is adapted to deliver inhalable aerosolized medication into the bore passageway to facilitate inhalation of the medication by the infant when the opening is proximate to the nose and mouth region of the infant.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to an apparatus for delivery of an aerosolizedmedication, and more particularly to an apparatus for delivery of anaerosolized medication to infants and small children.

Nebulization is the application of a medication to a patient by means ofan mist, or aerosol, inhaled into the lungs of a patient. There are anumber of methods for producing the mist from the medication andtherefore there are a number of delivery systems. For example, themedication may be packaged with a dilutent in a small pressurizedcanister or cartridge which interfits with a mouth piece. The patientplaces the mouthpiece in his or her mouth and depresses the cartridge,thereby releasing a measured amount of the aerosolized medication whichis inhaled through the mouthpiece. Although effective for use by mostadults, such a cartridge delivery system is not suitable for infants andsmall children.

As a result, a face mask is one option that may be used to deliveraerosolized drugs into the lungs of infants and small children who maybe suffering from asthma or the like. The face mask, typicallypositioned on or in the vicinity of the nose and mouth of the child, isattached to a nebulizer assembly via a short flexible tube (e.g., aseven inch accordion plastic tube). The nebulizer assembly is thencoupled to a nebulizer air compressor via a segment of plastic tubing.

A nebulizer treatment typically begins when a pre-measured amount ofliquid medication (e.g., albuterol) is placed in a nebulizer reservoirof the nebulizer assembly. Upon application of power to the nebulizerair compressor, pressurized air delivered via an aperture proximate tothe reservoir causes the liquid medication to be converted into a finemist. The mist is then inhaled by the child for 15 to 20 minutes.

Unfortunately, infants and small children do not like the “taste” of themist, the sound generated by operation of the nebulizer air compressor,and the physical restriction of the face mask. As a result, they may cryand/or turn away from the mask, causing much of the mist to be released,unused, into the environment rather than into their lungs.

Many prior art pediatric inhaler/nebulizer designs have addressed one ormore of these problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,015 discloses amask with a bubble design that flexes inwardly to give an indicationthat the infant is inhaling the mist. Such a bubble design however, doesnot alleviate the discomfort and/or fear experienced by the infant.Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,692 discloses a mask that includes awhistle to provide an audible signal that the infant is breathing in themist properly. Again, such a design does not alleviate the discomfortand/or fear experienced by the infant. Another mask assembly isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,168. The mask assembly includes anipple coupled to the mask to encourage the infant to hold the mask.Although alleviating some of the discomfort associated with the maskabutting the infants face, the mask with the nipple may not be enough ofa distraction to span the 15 to 20 minute time frame required fordelivery of the medication.

SUMMARY

Disclosed is an apparatus for delivering an aerosolized medication to aninfant. The apparatus includes a plaything having a fanciful image witha bore passageway extending through the plaything. The fanciful imagehas features attractive to an infant where one of the features includesan opening to a first end of the bore passageway. A second end of thebore passageway is adapted to be attached to a nebulizing assembly. Whenactuated by a nebulizing air compressor, the nebulizing assemblydelivers inhalable aerosolized medication into the bore passageway tofacilitate inhalation of the medication by the infant when the openingis proximate to the nose and mouth region of the infant. The infant isattracted to the fanciful image, and faces the image and thus the firstend of the bore passageway. The mouth and nose of the infant remainsdirected toward the bore passageway, and the infant inhales a maximumamount of the aerosolized medication.

In another embodiment the apparatus for delivering an aerosolizedmedication to an infant includes a length of tubing having a first endand a second end, and a plaything. The plaything is removably attachedto a portion of the length of tubing proximate to the first end. Theplaything includes a fanciful image and has a bore passageway extendingtherethrough, sized to be received by the length of tubing. The fancifulimage has features attractive to an infant where one of the featuresincludes an opening. A first end of the bore passageway communicateswith the opening in the plaything. The second end of the length oftubing is adapted to be attached to a nebulizing assembly. Thenebulizing assembly is configured to deliver inhalable aerosolizedmedication into the length of tubing and the bore passageway tofacilitate inhalation of the aerosolized medication by an infant whenthe first end of the length of tubing is proximate the nose and mouthregion of the infant, and the infant is attracted to and facing theplaything.

In yet another embodiment, the apparatus for delivering an aerosolizedmedication to an infant includes a length of tubing having a first endand a second end, and a plaything removably attached to the length oftubing proximate to the first end. The plaything includes a fancifulimage attractive to an infant. The second end of the length of tubing isadapted to be attached to a nebulizing assembly where the nebulizingassembly is adapted to deliver inhalable aerosolized medication into thelength of tubing to facilitate inhalation of the medication by an infantwhen the first end is proximate to the nose and mouth region of theinfant, and the infant is attracted to and facing the plaything.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present disclosurewill become apparent from the following detailed description whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective/schematic view of a nebulizing system includingan apparatus for delivering an aerosolized medication to an infantaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed perspective view of the plaything of theapparatus for delivering an aerosolized medication of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective/schematic view of another apparatus fordelivering an aerosolized medication to the infant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the present disclosure may be susceptible to embodiment indifferent forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will be describedherein in detail, one or more embodiments with the understanding thatthe present description is to be considered an exemplification of theprinciples of the disclosure and is not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the disclosure to the details of construction and the arrangementsof components set forth in the following description or illustrated inthe drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nebulizing system 10 according to anembodiment of the invention. The nebulizing system 10 includes aplaything 12, an optional length of flexible tubing 14, a nebulizerassembly 16, plastic tubing 18 and a nebulizer air compressor 20. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the plaything 12 is coupled to the nebulizerassembly 16 via the flexible tubing 14. It is contemplated however, thatthe plaything 12 may be directly coupled to the nebulizer assembly 16 asdiscussed in connection with FIG. 2.

The nebulizing assembly 16 is coupled to the nebulizer air compressor 20via the plastic tubing 18. The nebulizing assembly 16 may be anywell-known nebulizing assembly configured to receive a liquid medicationand in response to operation of the nebulizer air compressor 20, deliversuitable inhalable aerosolized medication.

For example, a typical nebulizer assembly 16 may include a chamberdefined by a top and bottom dome-like portion where the top portionincludes a nebulizer reservoir for receiving the liquid medication andwhere the bottom portion includes a tiny aperture in communication withthe nebulizer air compressor 20 via the plastic tubing 18. Duringoperation, the configuration of the top and bottom portions inconjunction with delivery of pressurized air to the nebulizer reservoircauses the liquid medication to become aerosolized.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed perspective view of the plaything 12 coupledto nebulizing assembly 16. The plaything 12 includes a bore passageway30 extending therethrough and has a first open end and a second openend. The plaything 12 also includes a fanciful image 32 having featuresattractive to an infant. One of the features includes an openingcommunicating with bore passageway 30. In the illustrated example, aface having facial features such as eyes, a nose and a mouth with theopening represent a portion of the fanciful image 32. Althoughillustrated using the animated face, the fanciful image could be one ofany number of suitable fanciful images appealing or attractive to aninfant or child. For example, the fanciful image may be an insect (e.g.,a friendly looking caterpillar), an animal (e.g., a teddy bear), a doll,a black and white pattern, a color pattern, or the like. Similarly, thefirst bore opening may be incorporated into the features of the fancifulimage in one of any number of ways.

The plaything 12 may also include any number of enhancements that makeit more attractive to an infant or small child so that the child isattracted to and faces the plaything 12 as aerosol medication isadministered through bore passageway 30. For example, the plaything 12may include an audible sound generator to generate music or otherappealing sounds. Similarly, the plaything 12 may include a noisegenerating rattle, for example, including loose elements safely insidethe ears and/or nose of the plaything. The plaything 12 may also includea light generating means such as one or more white or colored lightemitting diodes (LED), an organic LED, to name a few. Further, theplaything 12 may include a child-safe reflecting means or a “sparkly”means via the use of, for example, glitter, metallic threads or amirror.

As previously mentioned, a first open end of the bore passageway 30 isin communication with the opening incorporated into the fanciful image32, while the second open end of the bore passageway 30 is coupled tothe nebulizing assembly. The second open end may be coupled to thenebulizing assembly using a direct or indirect mating means. Thus, thesecond open end may be configured in one of any number of suitable waysto receive inhalable aerosolized medication delivered from the matednebulizing assembly 16. For example the interior of the second open endmay be threaded and sized to directly receive the nebulizing assembly16. Alternatively, both the second open end of the plaything 12 and aportion of the nebulizing assembly 16 may be configured to receive asnug-fitting mating tube inserted therebetween.

When mated to the plaything 12, the nebulizing assembly 16 deliversaerosolized medication to the bore passageway 30. Delivery of theaerosolized medication to the bore passageway 30 facilitates inhalationof the aerosolized medication by the infant when the opening, incommunication with the first open end of the bore passageway 30, isproximate to the nose and mouth region of the infant.

As mentioned in connection with FIG. 1, the plaything 12 may be coupledto the nebulizer assembly 16 via the flexible tubing 14 and the borepassageway 30. In such a configuration, the flexible tubing 14 isremovably disposed in the bore passageway 30 of the plaything 12 where afirst end of the flexible tubing 14 terminates in the first open endthereby enabling the bore passageway 30 to communicate with the opening(e.g., the mouth 34 of the fanciful image 32). Thus, a portion of theflexible tubing 14 is encased within the plaything 12 via the use of thebore passageway 30 with the plaything 12 preferably proximate to thefirst end of the flexible tubing 14 to enable easy viewing by theinfant.

A second end of the flexible tubing 14 is configured to mate with thenebulizing assembly 16. Thus, when mated to the plaything 12, thenebulizing assembly 16 delivers aerosolized medication to the flexibletubing 14. Delivery of the aerosolized medication into the flexibletubing 14 facilitates inhalation of the aerosolized medication by theinfant when the opening is proximate to the nose and mouth region of theinfant, and the infant faces the plaything 12.

FIG. 3 is a perspective/schematic view of another apparatus fordelivering an aerosolized medication to the infant. As mentioned inconnection with FIG. 1, the plaything 12 may be attached to the flexibletubing 14 where the flexible tubing 14 has a first open end and a secondopen end. The plaything 12 is removably attached to the flexible tubing14, preferably proximate to the first open end. The plaything 12includes the fanciful image 32 attractive to an infant. In thisembodiment however, the fanciful image does not incorporate the opening.Instead, the first open end provides an exit point for the aerosolizedmedication. The second open end is adapted to be attached to anebulizing assembly where the nebulizing assembly delivers inhalableaerosolized medication into the flexible tubing 14 to facilitateinhalation of the medication by an infant when the first open end isproximate to the nose and mouth region of the infant, and the infant isfacing plaything 12.

While embodiments have been illustrated and described in the drawingsand foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions areconsidered to be exemplary and not restrictive in character, it beingunderstood that only illustrative embodiments have been shown anddescribed and that all changes and modifications that come within thespirit of the invention are desired to be protected. The applicant hasprovided description and figures which are intended as illustrations ofembodiments of the disclosure, and are not intended to be construed ascontaining or implying limitation of the disclosure to thoseembodiments.

1. An apparatus for delivering an aerosolized medication to an infant,the apparatus comprising: a plaything having a fanciful image, a borepassageway extending through the plaything, the fanciful image havingattractive features including an opening, the bore passageway having afirst open end and a second open end, the first open end communicatingwith the opening in the fanciful image; and the second open end of thebore passageway adapted to be attached to a nebulizing assembly, thenebulizing assembly adapted to deliver inhalable aerosolized medicationinto the bore passageway to facilitate inhalation of the medication bythe infant when the first open end of the plaything is proximate to thenose and mouth region of the infant.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the fanciful image comprises an animated insect.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the fanciful image comprises an animatedanimal.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fanciful imagecomprises a doll.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fancifulimage comprises facial features and wherein the opening comprises amouth of the facial features.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theplaything further includes an audible sound generator.
 7. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein the plaything further includes a noise generatingrattle.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plaything furtherincludes a light generating means.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe plaything further includes a plurality of light emitting diodes. 10.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plaything further includes areflecting means.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the playthingfurther includes a mirror.
 12. An apparatus for delivering anaerosolized medication to an infant, the apparatus comprising: a lengthof tubing, the length of tubing having a first end and a second end; aplaything removably attached to the length of tubing proximate to thefirst end, the plaything having a fanciful image adapted to beattractive to an infant and a bore passageway extending through theplaything, the fanciful image having attractive features including anopening, the bore passageway communicating with the opening in the plaything; and the second end of the length of tubing adapted to be attachedto a nebulizing assembly, the nebulizing assembly adapted to deliverinhalable aerosolized medication into the length of tubing and the borepassageway to facilitate inhalation of the medication by an infant whenthe first end of the length of tubing is proximate the nose and mouthregion of the infant.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein thefanciful image comprises an animated insect.
 14. The apparatus of claim12, wherein the fanciful image comprises an animated animal.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 12, wherein the fanciful image comprises a doll. 16.The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fanciful image comprises facialfeatures and wherein the opening comprises a mouth of the facialfeatures.
 17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plaything furtherincludes an audible sound generator.
 18. The apparatus of claim 12,wherein the plaything further includes a noise generating rattle. 19.The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plaything further includes alight generating means.
 20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein theplaything further includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.
 21. Theapparatus of claim 12, wherein the plaything further includes areflecting means.
 22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the playthingfurther includes a mirror.
 23. An apparatus for delivering anaerosolized medication to an infant, the apparatus comprising: a lengthof tubing, the length of tubing having a first end and a second end; aplaything removably attached to the length of tubing proximate to thefirst end, the plaything having a fanciful image adapted to beattractive to an infant, and the second end of the length of tubingadapted to be attached to a nebulizing assembly, the nebulizing assemblyadapted to deliver inhalable aerosolized medication into the length oftubing to facilitate inhalation of the medication by an infant when thefirst end is proximate to the nose and mouth region of the infant. 24.The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the fanciful image comprises ananimated insect.
 25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the fancifulimage comprises an animated animal.
 26. The apparatus of claim 23,wherein the fanciful image comprises a doll.
 27. The apparatus of claim23, wherein the fanciful image comprises facial features.
 28. Theapparatus of claim 23, wherein the plaything further includes an audiblesound generator.